Managing novelty at the interfaces between concept and product : case studies for the automotive industry

Abstract

Appearance of the product is a discerning factor for the consumers purchase decisions. Time from concept to product creation is a critical factor in the competitive automotive industry. The period to develop a product is dependant on the people, content and the technology changes that constitute a large majority of expense allocation, and time invested. The greater the degree of change from something established and successful, the more difficult it becomes to incorporate the change into a product. Being successive in the automotive industry relies on the ability to maintain market presence with new and innovative products, while shortening the cycle time associated with new product design, development, and its introduction. Increasing capability to manage changes becomes more challenging as product complexity and customer demands increase and product life cycles decrease. How automotive manufacturers manage these changes during the critical product definition phase through process, tools and methods is the central discussion of this paper. The intent of this thesis is to identify the processes and key enablers that allow a rapid development process for appearance related systems, in particular the interior environment of the vehicle. Five cases that effect the interior trim environment will be reviewed to understand the methods, which allow the migration of novelty. Situations that will be studied will be introductions to aspects of: new technology, strategies, and the impact of late additions. To compare and contrast the degree of change occurring in these cases, a framework is essential to identify novelty. The ability and skills which an organization can perform changes is defined as organizational capability. This term

(cont.) describes how people within the organization manage to perform work. Specific case studies will be analyzed--reviewing the novelty introduced to the program, the organizational capability utilized, and the artifacts and processes employed to develop a final product within the division of the Sport Utility Vehicle Body on Frame, of Ford Motor Company, and contrasting comparisons to similar areas within Nissan Corporation, and Toyota Motor Corporation. Through these cases different types of novelty are revealed and its impact upon the interior trim system. It is argued that allotting more time in the preparation and early planning stages will reconcile problems that may arise later on. The approaches that these departments use: formal, informal meetings, conference calls, and written communication to manage novelty will be reviewed and compared in order to provide recommendations for improvement.